The Paris Commune was first and foremost a democracy. The government was a body elected by universal suffrage. C. L. R. James More Quotes by C. L. R. James More Quotes From C. L. R. James The rich are only defeated when running for their lives. C. L. R. James revolutionary-war change running The cruelties of property and privilege are always more ferocious than the revenges of poverty and oppression. For the one aims at perpetuating resented injustice, the other is merely a momentary passion soon appeased. C. L. R. James poverty passion revenge It is Toussaint's supreme merit that while he saw European civilisation as a valuable and necessary thing, and strove to lay its foundations among his people, he never had the illusion that it conferred any moral superiority. He knew French, British, and Spanish imperialists for the insatiable gangsters that they were, that there is no oath too sacred for them to break, no crime, deception, treachery, cruelty, destruction of human life and property which they would not commit against those who could not defend themselves. C. L. R. James sacred deception people When history is written as it ought to be written, it is the moderation and long patience of the masses at which men will wonder, not their ferocity. C. L. R. James wonder men long Property-owners are the most energetic flag-waggers and patriots in every country, but only so long as they enjoy their possessions: to safeguard those they desert God, King and Country in a twinkling. C. L. R. James kings long country The race question is subsidiary to the class question in politics, and to think of imperialism in terms of race is disastrous. But to neglect the racial factor as merely incidental is an error only less grave than to make it fundamental. C. L. R. James errors race thinking If you are not their slaves, you are rebels. C. L. R. James rebel slave ifs Why are you chasing your tail so?" Said the kitten, "I have learned that the best thing for a cat is happiness, and that happiness is my tail. Therefore, I am chasing it: and when I catch it. I shall have happiness." Said the cat, "My son, I, too, have paid attention to the problems of the universe. I, too, have judged that happiness is in my tail. But, I have noticed that whenever I chase it, it keeps running away from me, and when I go about my business, it just seems to come after me wherever I go. C. L. R. James cat running art It is in revolutionary periods that the culmination of previous trends and the beginning of new ones appear. C. L. R. James culmination trends revolutionary The patience and forbearance of the poor are among the strongest bulwarks of the rich. C. L. R. James forbearance rich poor The home stands in contrast to all other capitalist institutions as the last stronghold of pre-capitalist isolation. C. L. R. James isolation lasts home Today, in American imperialism, the commodity has reached its most grandiose historical manifestation. C. L. R. James commodity historical today It is over one hundred years since the abolition of slavery. The Negro people in the United States have taken plenty and they have reached a stage where they have decided that they are not going to take any more. C. L. R. James abolition-of-slavery taken years All peoples are entangled in the net of the world market. C. L. R. James world Dissimulation is the refuge of the slave. C. L. R. James refuge slave All the world has been converted and Washington is the modem Mecca. C. L. R. James converting mecca world This independent Negro movement is able to intervene with terrific force upon the general social and political life of the nation, despite the fact that it is waged under the banner of democratic rights ... [and] is able to exercise a powerful influence upon the revolutionary proletariat, that it has got a great contribution to make to the development of the proletariat in the United States, and that it is in itself a constituent part of the struggle for socialism. C. L. R. James independent powerful struggle I had formed a black movement, so I would speak for the Trotskyist movement and then walk about a hundred yards to where the black movement was speaking. C. L. R. James yards black movement The international proletariat first appeared on the scene in the early Thirties of the nineteenth century, and its first great action was the French Revolution of 1848. C. L. R. James revolution action firsts My father was a teacher, and there were teachers all around, his friends, they were working for the Government and their behaviour was within strictly limited areas. C. L. R. James government teacher father
